| By O.M. Wakefield To many, Jean Shepherd was | | | | was an influential guide into a realm of |
| a radio genius, magnificent storyteller and | | | | rebellion, non-conformity, art, music and |
| more. He has often been referred to as "a | | | | humor. Well known books by Shepherd include |
| Mark Twain for our time". At the same time, | | | | "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" and |
| he was a unique and unusual individual who | | | | "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories". |
| meant different things to different people. | | | | But most will remember him best for his |
| However, most will universally agree that | | | | wonderful stories narrated in his own voice |
| Jean Shepherd was a Great American Humorist. | | | | via the magic of talk radio. When it comes to |
| Shepherd was born in Chicago on July 26, 1921 | | | | Jean Shepherd radio show stories there is a |
| and divided his youth between Chicago's south | | | | great legacy left behind and hundreds of |
| side and Hammond, Indiana. In the years when | | | | hours of entertainment available. Whether you |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower was the United States | | | | are an established self proclaimed fan of |
| President, Shepherd was the radical voice of | | | | Jean Shepherd or not, these old radio stories |
| pop culture in the best sense of the word. | | | | are a "must listen" for anyone who loves |
| But in the purest sense Jean Shepherd was a | | | | humor, great stories, and the history of |
| humorist, in the classic comic tradition | | | | humor. Luckily, due to the resurgence of |
| taken from the adages that "truth is often | | | | interest in nostalgic radio shows hundreds of |
| found in humor" and also that "pain is often | | | | great Jean Shepherd episodes are readily |
| found in truth". Jean Shepherd was a very | | | | available online. The best source for these |
| popular cult radio and cabaret personality in | | | | (that I have found) is Bookzap, There you |
| New York during the 1950's and 1960's. One | | | | can find over seven hundred episodes of Jean |
| thing that makes Shepherd's appeal so | | | | Shepherd radio shows on both CD and DVD disks |
| universal is the fact that his stories ring | | | | with crystalline clear sound quality. I |
| true and nostalgic for listener whether or | | | | highly recommend that you check Bookzap out! |
| not they lived in the era he usually wrote | | | | Of course Mark Twain and Garrison Keilor will |
| and spoke about. A renowned PBS and talk | | | | always get their due respect as two of |
| radio personality, Shepherd was responsible | | | | America's greatest story tellers ever, while |
| for creating many nostalgic humorous pieces | | | | Jean Shepherd rarely gets a mention. But |
| of Americana storytelling, which later led to | | | | consider this, Jean Shepherd was probably the |
| his being compared to the likes of Garrison | | | | greatest kazoo player of the past 50 years, |
| Keilor. Earlier, from 1950-1954, Jean | | | | and an ardent defender of its use. Who else |
| Shepherd was a radio DJ on WSAI Radio and | | | | can say that? O. M. Wakefield is active in |
| also appeared on a nightly comedy show, "Rear | | | | the Old Time Radio Community as a Collector |
| Bumpers," on WLW, in Cincinnati. Jean | | | | and Reviewer. He advises folks to visit |
| Shepherd's most notable and well known | | | | Bookzap's Giant OTR Collections and Radio |
| achievement was perhaps the creation of the | | | | Treasury OTR Online Catalogs for wonderful |
| indefatigable Ralphie Parker and his quest | | | | values and information regarding the Old Time |
| for a BB gun in the holiday classic "A | | | | Radio Show possibilities. |
| Christmas Story". In the transition from the | | | | |
| "Leave It To Beaver 1950s" to the brave new | | | | More articles from this pro: M. |
| world of the volatile Sixties, Jean Shepherd | | | | |